The opening keynote will be delivered by a member of the Special Operations Forces community.

In October 2024 the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army introduced the “Transforming in Contact” initiative, focusing on how forces adapt while engaged in active conflict. Special Operations Forces (SOF) are critical in leveraging contact layers across various theaters, such as Ukraine, Taiwan, and counter-terrorism operations. This panel will explore how SOF is translating its lessons learned in contact, on the frontline, into policy and its service-like responsibility.

TBD.

Lunch will be provided by Yale University.

International partnerships are crucial to SOF’s global mission. As the strategic landscape shifts, especially in the Indo-Pacific, these partnerships have become more transactional and focused on mutual interests such as access and influence. This panel will explore how SOF’s partnership approach has evolved since the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), emphasizing intelligence sharing, joint exercises, and operational integration changes. It will also address challenges in forming long-term alliances and balancing partnership and autonomy in critical regions.

TBD.

The Israeli-Gaza conflict has highlighted the complexities of large-scale hostage recovery operations, including challenges in navigating tunnels and dealing with evasive militants. This panel will examine critical lessons from Israel’s efforts, incorporating SOF expertise and international crisis response experiences. Key topics will include intelligence integration, the role of technology, and balancing speed with safety in high-stakes situations.

Closing remarks will be delivered by a member of the Jackson School of Global Affairs.